title: The Hammersmith colorectal foot pedal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This technical note describes use of a footpedal to switch on a rigid sigmoidoscope/proctoscope, demonstrating increased speed and efficiency of proctoscopy examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Use of a footpedal to control the light source of a rigid sigmoidoscope/proctoscope, enabling the user to switch the light source on and off with their foot, rather then at the wall, switch, leaving hands free.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Benefits include increased efficiency and speed of examination with reduced time on the couch for the patient and reduced risk of the halogen lighting bulb being left switched on, thus prolonging the life of the equipment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we do not claim originality for its use we have found it particularly helpful and believe that its use should be more widely publicised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK. elizabeth.goode@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Goode
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Buchanan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020700:Proctoscopes; D011351:Proctoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020694:Sigmoidoscopes